6:35pm: The Sixers have fined Johnson for using his cell phone on the sidelines, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. “I apologize for having my phone on the bench in today’s game,” Johnson said in a statement tweeted by the team. “I take full responsibility and will accept the consequences of my actions. I also apologize to my teammates, the 76ers organization and the fans for the distraction this has caused.”

5:10pm: Today’s playoff loss to the Nets was punctuated by an embarrassing incident late in the game in which Sixers players Amir Johnson and Joel Embiid were caught looking at Johnson’s cell phone while on the bench. Coach Brett Brown criticized both players for their actions and promised the situation would be handled, tweets Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.

“It’s completely unacceptable and we will deal with it internally, very soon,” Brown said in his post-game press conference. “It’s not something we are and certainly don’t condone.”

Using a cell phone from the bench violates the NBA’s Operations Manual, points out ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Both players are facing substantial fines and possible suspensions. Johnson was inactive today, while Embiid, who has been bothered by knee pain, decided to play shortly before the game began.

Embiid explained that they were using the phone to get an update on the health of Johnson’s daughter (Twitter link). “I looked down because he said his daughter was extremely sick and he was checking on his daughter,” he told reporters.

The optics are a lot worse than the actual situation. If Johnson’s story is true, the team punishing anyone for this is insane. It’s not difficult for the team to check his story. Ask to see his texts from today. If he’s not lying, he shouldn’t have a problem with that and his story would be corroborated. There should be no punishment if that’s the case. The team taking this angle publicly does nothing to help. Downplay it and stick with the sick child story, and the whole thing would completely blow over

Regardless, no reason for having the phone – let alone alone checking it – while on the bench. Can either leave it in the lockerroom and check it at halftime for updates, or, if a situation is that dire or urgent, either watch the game from the lockerroom with your phone in your hand or give the phone to a team attendant and have them alert you if there is an emergency. Having the phone on the bench – and checking it – is irresponsible and unprofessional.

Giving it to a team attendant would’ve been the ideal course of action, but is it seriously worth a fine and a PR nightmare? Stand by the player and give him a slap on the wrist, “don’t do it again” kind of thing, and it would have the same effect.

Sticking with the sick child story is going to be hard to do since Embiid was laughing while looking at the phone. I’d rather be known as someone that broke a phone rule instead of being the guy laughing at a sick child.

No idea why the media is acting like Embiid killed a guy. The pomposity of all these babies crying over this is one of the worst things about pro sports. These are people like you and me, and I dont care one bit if players look at their phones while on the bench – they could be learning about how to beat their opponents!

There is a huge story here. It is against the NBA rules to have a cell phone on the bench. It’s not just about the perception. Suspensions are possible because of this. Although I have a feeling that Johnson will be taking the brunt of the punishment simply because star players rarely get punished in the NBA.

If his daughter is that sick, then why wasn’t he with her? The Sixers would have given him a pass, especially since he was inactive.

But I honestly don’t believe that anyway. It may be true, but you could tell by the body language they were not checking on a sick child. Embiid was laughing while looking at it. Unless he is a sociopath happy about a child’s illness, I’m guessing they were doing something else.